1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of fiber optics and more specifically to a new optical interferometer design.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optical interferometers are well-known devices in which two or more light waves are coupled together to produce either destructive or constructive interference. These optical devices are typically used for a wide variety of functions within optical systems and subsystems. For example, some types of optical interferometers, such as Fabry-Perot interferometers, are used as filter devices, while other types of optical interferometers are used for optical switching. In addition, multimode interferometers (MMIs) may be implemented as splitters, couplers, filters or multiplexers.
Many types of interferometers are realized on silicon or other like substrates. Forming optical interferometers on a substrate allows more than one interferometer to be implemented on a single die, thereby increasing overall design density. One drawback of adding multiple interferometers on a single die, however, is that light diffused from one interferometer may be unintentionally coupled with the light of another interferometer, thereby causing unwanted interference between the light. To prevent such unwanted coupling, interferometers must be adequately spaced apart on the die or blockers must be used to block the light diffused from each interferometer. Such solutions are problematic because they either increase the overall size of the design or add complexity and cost to the design.
As the foregoing illustrates, what is needed in the art is an interferometer design that overcomes the drawbacks of current interferometer designs described above.